When I clicked onto the BBC Sport website this morning, the breaking news was that Martin O’Neill has agreed to become the next manager of Sunderland.
Should that report prove accurate it’s a gigantic coup for the Black Cats and will surely provide them with a timely boost ahead of Sunday’s crucial six pointer at Molineux.
Brilliant.
And in a week that’s seen the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season, the heat is well and truly on Mick McCarthy to deliver a result in front of an expectant home crowd.
Really, this has to be a win.
Make no mistake about it, if we don’t see a significant return from the three vital home matches prior to Christmas, we’re deep, deep in the brown stuff.
Sunderland arrive with the same number of points as Wolves having lost at home to Wigan the previous Saturday, signalling the end of the road for Steve Bruce.
Results certainly haven’t going their way, but there seems to be a consensus that they’ve perhaps not been playing as badly as their current league position suggests.
The Team
So what does Mick do this weekend with Karl Henry suspended? I dedicated an entire post to this subject earlier in the week simply because there are so many different options and it’s practically impossible to second guess our manager at the best of times anyway.
I just have a suspicion Mick will fancy the 442 in this one, with Ward remaining further forward in the midfield and Doyle joining Fletch up top.
Personally, I’d play 451, with Ward returning to left-back, a midfield trio of O’Hara, Edwards and Milijas with Jarvis and Hunt out wide.
Prediction League
33 people correctly predicted we’d lose at Stamford Bridge.
A stonking 11 of those got the 3-0 scoreline spot on too and take home the maximum 3 points on offer. The rest get a point.
A shout out then goes to Bagsy, Oli Baker, Louie, Stourbridge Wolf, Philly Pete, Clemens, Morph, alf white, Rich, Exeter Wolf and Yoda.
Well done.
It has to be victory this weekend so that is what I shall predict.
For no particularly logical reason I shall say 2-1 Wolves.
If you’re going to Molineux on Sunday, have a great time and get right behind the lads.
Up The Wolves.
I hope wardy stays at left back. Big George just can’t cut it against pacy wingers. 4-5-1 with Edwards o’hara and Milijas. Doyle upfront. With an option to go 4-4-2 fairly quickly with fletcher if we’re lacking attacking options.
I’ll go with 2-1 wolves too though.
Keep the faith 😉
A 1-1 draw no good to anybody.
I’m going for a 2-2 draw. We’ll scramble a late goal in stoppage time, we will still be 4th bottom and we’ll have to endure a week of worn platitudes from the players about how the lads are doing it for the boss, in the face of fickle fans who were getting restless until the goal went in.
0-0 bore draw. Just because last time I predicted that we won.
3-0 wolves, we’ll play with attacking flair comparable to Pele and Maradona.
The flair of when they were in their prime………………or now, as we usually play??!!
The flair of when they were in their prime. Optimus Prime.
Putney Wolf I love you for that optimism………I’m with YOU!!!!
3-2 to the golden warriors… Ohara (2) Fletch the other….
Sunderland can’t score, which given we can’t defend, is a relief.
Wolves 3-1 Sunderland
O’Hara to shine after a week off
Hammil and Jarvis on the wings with o hara and Edwards in the centre.plenty of energy in there mackems midfield is slow .Doyle and fletch up top.I’m confident about the game .3-1 win and few pints to celebrate and bit of how’s your father wiv the mrs..if carlsberg did Sundays eh
I like that mate! We’ve got more chance of winning 3-1 than I have of how’s your father with my Mrs!
Come on lads it’s Sunderland at home not barca.we can do this I know it’s hard to keep the faith but let’s get behind the boys and roar them on.why does everyone think Martin o neils the messiah .his teams are kick and rush he’s a poor mans egil olsen .believe me we will get 3 points .
And 50 million
To spend in January .forgot that bit drunk
Easy win. 2-0 wolves. O’Hara all the way
With O’Neil looking good for the Sunderland job as we go to press, I fear the worst, and a 0 – 3 stuffing, which is not the kind of stuffing we want at Christmas.
On the other hand, with a defeat on Sunday, a trip to Old Trafford up next against a side surely still smarting after Carling Cup exit…………..four defeats on the bounce, again, might finally get us our Christmas wish…..McDickhead gone.
I live in Hope ( actually Houston, but y’all know what I mean!!)
FOMM
0-1m afraid, reverting to the back against them and they will win rule
My prediction for Sunday? Cattermole will attempt to decapitate someone, maybe even a player on his own team, he’s that much of a numbskull.
1-0 to wolves. Nerves and tension will be high among both sides with neither team really sure what to do about it. Hoof-ball / big tackling game but coming away with the all important 3 points!
The o`Neil story was the last thing we needed, now the Sunderland players will be playing to impress their new manager who no doubt will be somewhere in the stadium for the game. Without Bent of course they don`t score goals, and it will be sod`s law that the players Bruce bought with Bent`s fee play out of their skin on Sunday. Lets just hope they try too hard and they don`t gel for another few weeks under the new manager.
I`m struggling to call this one, Wolves and MM desperately need a win, so i`m going for a 2-0 score, son at least I can drive home happy. Losing this one with Old trafford next week is not a good prospect.
Teams are dangerous the game after a manager is sacked and Sunderland will also get a boost knowing they’ve poached O’Neil from right under our noses.
2-0 Sunderland
2-1 Sunderland. just cant see past it!
2-1 to wolves. but beware of sunderland with no manager as managerless teams often play better. mind you with mick as an ex manager im sure he will be cheering them on as well.
1 – 0 to wolves. Please do not play elokobi, or i will smack your nose straight MM.
Sorry boys but this is a defeat as the Black Cats get the boost with Martin O’Neil in the stand watching we gonna go down 1-2. Fletcher to get the consolation goal and a last mad ten mins where we hustle and bustle create little but cant find the net.
I hope Sunderland’s appointment of Martin O’Neill doesn’t have an immediate impact. I think we can win this, 1-0.
No bite and pace in midfield-can’t string more than two passes together-crap tactics-hoofball from the off-O’Neil looking on-its a disaster waiting to happen-but think we will scrape a draw
1-1-hate to say it.
As a side note my boss was with me yesterday and we discussed work, and finally football. He is devastated that after a five year gap he renewed his two Bolton season tickets in the summer. Apparently the Bolton fans are giving Coyle some real stick, maybe something to do with their league position perhaps.
Moxey would say of course that their fans are `fickle` as well after a few seasons of punching above their weight. Is`nt it strange that Sunderland, Bolton and Wolves fans are venting their fury at their respective managers. Hardly rocket science is it, the reasons for that. I have a small sidebet with my boss as to which of our team`s managers are the next to be sacked. Lets wait and see until afetr the weekend where that one is going.
Can’t see Coyle getting the boot.
They forced the issue to get him from Burnley and he had them in the top half for most of last season as well as in a cup semi-final.
That said, Cahill will likely leave in January and without him at the back they could really struggle. January will be massive for them. As it stands, they’re definitely not too good to go down.
I think Cahill leaving will give them a boost as they will have the money to bring in a good defender who actually wants to play for them and then push on. You’re right, they ARE too good to go down.
By the way, can I encourage everyone to upload their own picture to: http://en.gravatar.com/ so it appears next to your comments instead of the old Wolves head.
It only takes a matter of minutes and guarantees nobody can pretend to be you on steal your Wolves Blog username.
Testing… If it doesn’t work then I’ll be stumped! :/
Yes, it works! 🙂
Well, he’s not exactly a wolf but close enough right? 😉
More like the Hamster!!!!
Charlie’s a dog-hamster hybrid who loves to play fetch! 🙂
Nice one Hamlet.
Nice one Clive. I was expecting a picture of Wardy or MM though.
Checking to see if it works…..
1-3 Sunderland. Right now we are absolutely hopeless… And yes I am fully aware that when we are at our lowest ebb, we always seem to pull a performance from somewhere… however, like many of you, I just cant see it.
FOMM
I wish I shared your positivity Thomas. I’m going to say 1-0 to Sunderland. Think the whole manager situation will in fact give them a boost. We just look a bit bereft of ideas or threat.
Are we playing barca Sunday or Sunderland ? Martin o Neil ain’t all that his teams play crap kick and rush football .won worthington cup with Leicester wow and won some trophies in Scotland again wow .get behind the lads it’s been poor I know but they ain’t no better than us .ask villa fans about messiah martins tactics.oh and if I wanna sing I will u can give me dirty looks u can tell me to shut up but one thing u cant take away from me is my passssionnnnnnnnnn braveheart black country styley dropping the da bomb in the golden palace .peace!
1-0 to Wolves. A draw isn’t really a terrible result (I think Sunderland has more talent than their record shows), but I think we find a way to squeak this one out.
I’ll tip Milijas to score a screamer late in the game to seal three points for the home side.
Well, the good thing if I read it right is that O’Neil won’t be properly managing Sunderland until after our game…
This is a similar situation to the Wigan game so I’ll predict the same result – 3-1 Wolves!
Wolves 2:1 Sunderland. Fletcher brace!
Spot on prediction!
That’s two in a row now – I’m on a roll!
Prefer to get the lotto numbers tho!
First can i say all the best to Martin O’Neill on his return to football management,the only
downside is that it’s with Sunderland instead of wolves.
That said back to the game,Ward has got to stay at leftback.I would go for it because a draw is no good to us at all.
But what do we know what ever we think or wish,we need to consider the McIdiot factor.
will he keep it tight or go all guns blazing in attack,so if he goes for the later i’ll go for a
2-1 win..If he does’nt well don’t know when we’ll get our next win.
Loving that picture mate. Lovely stuff.
Thought it would get a giggle,glad you liked it.my wife thought i’d gone mad.
McIdiot said patience could be wearing thin for the board,perhaps the penny as just
dropped after sunderland sacked Bruce.its just a pitty he does’nt do the right thing and
walk away .Just a shame he could’nt have hung on until after the game if we do lose,
mm could get his marching orders i hope.
Just stating the obvious really, isn’t he? If we keep losing, even the most faithful of fans like myself might be calling for his head!
Wolves 1-1 Sunderland.
Poor team choice, poor performance, poor Wolves…
1-1. We score with our only shot on target and Hennessey (with the help of Ward) earns us a point.
At least we’d be clinical… :/ (:P)
Yeah we really do take our chances eh!
Why have you got 2 pix?
Which one is you?
Is the other one Hamsterlet?
I am the one on the left.
Hint:The one on the right is one of the only players me and you agree on!
Who is it Louie?
Clive’s right – it’s Stearman! He had this on the twitter page, and I ended up not recognising him as well – even though the picture was about ten times as big!
Looks more like Stearman than Bully!!!!
hehe, you flatter me, really you do!
I might change my pic to the ugly truth sometime in the future but for now… 😛
I’m not trying to second guess our manager, so will wait till just before kick off before posting my prediction.
My mate, the Sunderland supporter’s face lit up, when he saw me approach the cafe this morning.
His Guardian informed him O’Neil was signing for Sunderland and he was over the moon.
Considering our esteemed manager’s motivating qualities it looks odds on a defeat, especially if the remainder of Sunderland are as bucked as my friend, by O’Neil’s appointment.
Certainly, if we lose, it will appear as if Sunderland stole a march on us, in more ways than one…..
Pretty much a must win for the Wolves. At home, against a mediocre opponent.
2-1 Wolves.
I’m poor at predicting at the best of times, but I haven’t a clue how this one will turn out. Expect Sunderland will put that extra effort in to impress the new boss.. 2-2
Difficult to see. Always in motion the future is. Lose 1-2, I fear Wolves will. Yes, hmmm.
Out loud laughing, I am. A thousand words, your picture is worth.
Fear MM is entering a phase when chickens might come home to roost – glad MH is still out of a job but would he come to Wolves after walking out on Fulham all most certainly not.
Henry’s not playing so we stand a better chance of winning than normal, but with a line up of Hennessey in goal and Stephen Ward playing in every other position, we’ll get beat as usual.
Half time Wolves 0-2 Mackems
Full time Wolves 0-5 Mackems
Post match comments by McDickwad blames crowd for breathing out after breathing in.
Could be the Newcastle game all over again after warming there defence up with some poor corners and a few high hanging balls( nothing personal )they go and score a couple then we have a late rally to pull one back.Sorry i cant be more optimistic.
This is Wolves best start to a Premier League campaign (11 points after 13 matches), but only two points more than the worst of the other three (9 in 2010-11). Kinda says it all really – we are SHIT
Have to say, that is a very weird way of looking at that – doesn’t it mean we are two points less SHIT than the last two seasons? :/
What it means is that even though we’ve lost 8 out of 10 games, we are still having ouur best season, which in reality just show hos how consistently bad we’ve been for the last 3 seasons!
Well, we have been in relegation scraps the last two seasons… though there’s no ‘third season syndrome’ excuse for this season!
I’m going to go for a 2 – 1 win.
We’ve got no right to expect to beat Sunderland and I think they’ll come down to fight, especially with O’Neill in the stands, but it’s a massive 6 pointer for us and if MM plays Fletcher and Doyle I think we have a chance to score goals.
I hope Ward plays at LB.
I’m not optimistic, but we HAVE to win! Up the Wolves!
Sadly Wolves 0 – 2 Sunderland.
Just when we need a performance we will get some decent blips but our luck runs out instead and we lose it – but narrowly, in a dull game.
I heard that the fans were in great voice against Chelsea with the liquidator playing….
Anyway.
Draw all over it. 1 – 1
wolves 2 Sunderland 3. Another big L.
I’m going to predict a 2-1 win for the Wolves.
Wolves to win 2-0
2-0 wolves, and thats only down to pure hope
fletcher and berra (yes berra) to score
Another Wolves win for me……….we’d be top if my predictions came true………so don’t hold out too much hope. Half of me thinks its my fault, the other half say’s don’t change now your luck’s about to change :0). You can see how how people find themselves in bother with betting.
Anyway……..Wolves 3-2 Sunderland……….epic comeback from 0-2 down, as at half time Mick plays his trump card Zeli. He scores a hattrick then goes on to save our season and become the next Rooney, with less grunting and more hair. England become Euro Champions with Zeli again the star.
Man City then buy Zeli for one Zillion pounds, he keeps up the tradition of big money flops from Wolves to City, following in Steve Daley’s footsteps. They sell him back to us on the cheap and he slots perfectly into the all star side we’ve assembled with his transfer fee. Wolves go on to dominate for English, European, World and Universal football. Finally building the huge stadium starts to make a little more sense.
Wolves take pity on their local rivals Sandwell, offering them our youngsters that emerge from our academy to bolster their frail second division squad. They then act as our feeder club for a number of years, until the success of our all singing new academy enables them to climb back through the divisions. Obviously the contract doesn’t allow our youngsters to play for them in the Black Country derbies so we batter them each year both home and away,bringing joy to Wolverhampton and all that sail in her. This unbridled joy soon filters through into other sectors in the city, new vibrant businesses spring up all around the place. Wolverhampton is soon seen as the place where the streets are paved with old gold. The country is dragged from the economic doldrums by the money generated by this emerging Super City. In time England once again becomes an economic giant in the world, people start taking us seriously again and the term ‘made in England’ ensures sales around the world (initially as long as it has Wolverhampton before England, but in time, even simply England).
So Mick, put him on the bench then bring him on at half time. Do it for the fans, do it for Wolves, do it for Wolverhampton, do it for your country (England, not your adopted one!)
you still only get three points if that comes true, right?
Funniest blog on here for ages!
I suspect however that you did not mean it to be funny and you actually believe it could happen.
With that in mind, once again, i have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you………….!!!!
Keep it up, I’m fed up of reading my stuff over and over.
FOMM
I was just about to stump up the cash for that there property, believing that with the lack of rain we’ve been getting lately, it had to all be going somewhere.
As for belief in ramblings, I hear that Mr Cameron has just been on the phone with Moxey telling him to get the thumbscrews out. I’m more convinced than ever now that I’ve just witnessed Sunderland play in blue…………Stoke to come next. Commeth the dour, commeth the man – in Zeli we trust!!!!!!
Yeah, on this site but….now that I’ve posted it, the odds that Sporting Bet are offering me for it all happening have gone up from 4-1 (usual favorable bookies odds) to 1,000,000,000-1. They’re obviously aware of Mick’s record of listening to the (numpties) fans!!!
Wolves 2-2 Sunderland – Black Cats play wide open to impress the new boss, and their overzealousness lets us sneak a pair. Hunt and Fletcher.
Hudds Wolf : is there dvd ?
Colin, I see you’re going to be one of those people who make their fortunes on the back of our great clubs success. After the years of torment we’ve all been put through, its the least we deserve. Here’s to seeing in the new season sipping Banks’ from our champagne flutes whilst we lounge in our yachts moored along the Saffs and Worcs canal.
These are the games we need something from, 2-2 draw, hope for the win.
1-1 draw. But nothing would surprise me.
Elekobi left back, ward centre mid and sunderland 2-0.
2-1 to Wolves,based on nothing but wishful thinking.
Please…
Wolves 2 Sunderland 1
UTW
I’m afraid Sunderland have probably acted in time. They’ll have their tails up, desperate to impress an incoming manager WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD! Why can’t we get these people when they’re available? I’m usually a ‘glass half full’ kind of guy, but I think the Cats will triumph over the Dogs today!
1-1. A bright start from an eager Sunderland side. I’m so nervous about this – feels like May already.
If, God forbid, we do lose, will we be giving Steve Bruce a cheeky sideways glance?
Don’t lose faith Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls…….0-2 at halftime is a necessary evil, we will prevail. Just like Peter Knowles, I’ve had a vision, Zeli is our leader. Praise be to Zeli.
With the team sheets that have been distributed to the press, it would appear that my premonition may have been misread. We’re playing Stoke at home next, they play in red and white stripes……..hmmmmmmmm.
Oh shit. He’s playing Craddock, removed our captain, and going 442.
2-0 Sunderland.
One definite improvement there, HK, in that Craddock will actually challenge opposition CBs in the air (see Johnson v. Jagielka & Terry recently?) How come your predicted score’s gone south?
Meanwhile though, Sunderland don’t look too shabby to me!
Yeah, there’s no doubting his ability in the air that’s true. I’m just worried whenever Mick changes the back four and I certainly don’t think we’re playing confidently or well enough to lose a man in the middle at the moment. Sunderland looking ok, but they can’t string any passes together.
Don’t you think the changes he has made seem a bit unnecessary? Why has he singled Johnson out? Apart from the obvious, he’s been no worse than a lot of them (Jarvis, Hunt, Doyle)
Johnson’s been awful. I’d have dropped him ages ago, maybe even after the Spurs loss. You’re right about Doyle, Jarvis (blow me down, he’s just put over a good cross!) and Hunt; but I guess MM won’t change half the side.
The 442 is OK except that Doyle and Fletcher don’t link up at all.
In the 10 minutes since I last posted, Sunderland have gone off the boil and the game is rather scrappy. Two struggling sides …
Are they going to say that he’d started so many games that he needed a rest? Desperate times when we’re calling on dad to play for us. I’m scared for the second half.
I’m not enjoying Doyle and Fletcher either, but is it because they haven’t had a run of games together that they don’t link up well?
I bet you’d just hit ‘send’ when Jarvis scuffed that last cross! There should have been a couple of goals in this by now, but it looks like the FA have been supercharging their goalkeepers in pre season. Nearly all of them have been oustanding so far.
Wow! Another good delivery from Jarvis! Justice after Larsson’s con-job for the penalty.
Better – much much better! Thank god for that – I feared the worse after we went behind!
Great to get a win. Just wish we didn’t have to make it so difficult for ourselves. Proof if it was ever needed that Fletcher and Doyle cannot play together. 3 very important points for us but it didn’t feel as satisfying as it should have. We were poor. Mick owes Fletcher big time.
C’mon now, cheer up!
I know, I know. It’s just the stress of watching it all unfold. You see us go 1-0 down and you expect the inevitable second. Then Wayne saves the day and from nowhere, Fletch decides to win the game for us. Having reflected, and caught my breath, it was a great 3 points and I should expect no less of a rollercoaster whenever we play.
Up the Wolves. And up yours Sunderland.
Great to get a win. But it should be expected at home anyway. Well done the lads for turning up. Anybody notice how we looked so much more dangerous after their penalty miss when we were fired up and actually moving at a faster zippy pace?!
If that’s how we can play once we are fired up (after that disgrace of a dive by the cheating ex-blue nose b@stard) more fuel to the flames that McCarthy doesn’t get the team fired up often enough for my liking!
Fair play though Mick – you dropped Johnson (he deserved it, and Craddock was great) and you took Doyle off (because he wasn’t in the game). It actually felt like we were watching the same game for once!
Much better lads played a bit of footy for a change,nice to see some inter passing and one
touch footy.ref was crap though he missed a push in the the first half could’nt see who was pushed but it looked a peno from where i was sitting.anyway nice to get the three points.
Looking forward to watching MOTD2 Tonight.looks like MM will keep his job a bit longer.
I’m so glad I was wrong about the outcome. However , the dependence on the robust Fletcher worries me. Wolves without him is like it used to be without Bully, or Chelsea without Drogba. We need more competition for places. Doyle is a class player without a doubt, but he’s not living up to his reputation like many others who come here, Kenny Miller was another, I could go on! Is the inability to motivate a key factor?
An excellent 3 points.
Only downside is McDickhead will be untouchable now.
Ward captain? What is the world coming to?
FOMM
We played with zeal after their penalty miss.
A vital 3 points, without which, we’d have been in terrible trouble.